Developmental Psychology Childhood and Adolescence 8th Edition by David R. Shaffer
ISBN-13: 9780495601715
ISBN-10: 0495601713
Our purpose in writing this book has been to produce a current and comprehensive
overview of child and adolescent development that refl ects the best theories, research,
and practical advice that developmentalists have to offer. Throughout our many years of
teaching, we have looked for a substantive developmental text that was also interesting,
accurate, up to date, and written in clear, concise language that an introductory student
could easily understand. At this level, a good text should talk ?to? rather than ?at? its
readers, anticipating their interests, questions, and concerns and treating them as active
participants in the learning process. In the fi eld of developmental psychology, a good
text should also stress the processes that underlie developmental change so that students
come away from the course with a fi rm understanding of the causes and complexities of
development. Finally, a good text is a relevant text?one that shows how the theory and
the research that students are asked to digest can be applied to real-life settings.
The present volume represents our attempt to accomplish all of these objectives.
We have tried to write a book that is both rigorous and applied?one that challenges students
to think about the fascinating process of developmental psychology, to share in the
excitement of our young and dynamic discipline, and to acquire a knowledge of developmental
principles that will serve them well in their roles as parents, teachers, nurses,
day-care workers, pediatricians, psychologists, or in any other capacity by which they
may one day infl uence the lives of developing persons.
